Soggy Puerto Rico Open to resume Friday

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Skip Kendall is your early, early leader at the Puerto Rico Open. He’ll get to sleep on that pole position because of rain that is pounding an already wet Trump International Golf Club.

Eighteen players teed off in Thursday’s first round before play was called; the day was declared a wash at 1:30 p.m.

By 2 p.m., 6 inches of rain had fallen. That’s after 5.8 inches hit the course last Friday-Sunday. The course also received small amounts of rain Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Kendall holed a 7-iron from 159 yards for an eagle 2 Thursday on the 430-yard, par-4 10th hole. Play was called at 7:19 a.m., 13 minutes after Kendall teed off

“I didn’t even see the ball go in,” Kendall said. “It was so dark because of the storms.”

The first round will resume at 7:15 a.m. Friday, with the second round pushed back to Saturday and 36 holes scheduled for Sunday.

The cut may be moved from low 70 and ties to low 60 and ties to fit in two rounds Sunday. If that is done, the players who are cut but still within the low 70 and ties will earn last-place money. That money will be official.

Lift, clean and place will be in play in closely-mown areas. This is the fifth tournament this year to use lift, clean and place, compared to eight all of last year.